Giambra calls marijuana legalization answer to NYS budget woes

Speaking to the state Legislature like a coach at halftime when his team's outcome seems nearly impossibly grim, Gov. Andrew Cuomo presented his $168.1 billion budget for fiscal year 2019 on Tuesday.

He also outlined tax and fee increases meant to close a projected $4.4 billion 2019 state budget deficit, as he outlined his office's spending plan for the coming year, which he said also includes increases in spending for education. One idea is a new payroll tax which would largely replace the current income tax, an ambitious idea that already faces challenges with New York's Republican lawmakers.

Payroll tax: Cuomo is considering switching NY from an income-tax system to a payroll-tax system to skirt new federal limits on tax deductions.

$1.9 billion increase for energy and environment spending: An increase of $142 million, up 8 percent.

Overall, Cuomo's budget caps state spending increases at under 2 percent over last year's budget.

Meanwhile, education aid will increase about $769 million, or 3 percent. The News noted that the Justice Department recently announced it would repeal an Obama-era policy that protected marijuana programs in various states. The portion of the budget paid for largely by state taxpayers will rise 1.8 percent to $100 billion, according to one of the budget documents released this afternoon by the Cuomo administration. Senate Leader John Flanagan, R-Long Island, on Tuesday dismissed talk of a new payroll tax. He said he's open to the idea of legalizing recreational marijuana in the future, but wanted to see more study of the issue first, the News said. Speaking to reporters Monday, Giambra says regulated and heavily taxed pot would provide cash for roads, bridges and mass transit repairs and improvements.

Much of $4.4 billion deficit for the coming year Cuomo attributed to weaknesses in tax receipts.

Police charge man in east Charlotte convenience store robbery
Savanna Doyle lived two doors down from Treadway, and she says it's hard knowing the children she once saw every day are now gone. The father of the children has been located and is not being considered as a suspicious person pertaining to the case.

We know the individuals likely to access services through state agencies are often the poorest and most vulnerable members of our communities.

He has repeatedly bashed the tax plan as harmful to New Yorkers. Health care spending is also expected to grow about 3 percent.

The financial plan also projected a slowdown in private sector job growth in NY to 1.3 percent in 2018, down from 1.4 percent from a year ago.

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